Electric bed or chair movable along with ambient sounds

ABSTRACT

An electric bed or chair includes an actuator connected with a base and a movable frame, a vibrator disposed on the movable frame, a control unit controlling motions of the actuator and the vibrator, a receiving unit receiving audio files each having a specific time sequence, a database storing the audio files, a sound sensor sensing ambient sounds to transmit corresponding signals, and a comparative unit comparing the signals transmitted by the sound sensor with the audio files stored in the database to locate a match audio file from the audio files, which is matched with the ambient sounds, and then transmit control signals to the control unit for enabling the control unit to control the actuator or the vibrator to move in accordance with the match audio file. As a result, the electric bed or chair moves along with the ambient sounds synchronously.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an electric bed or chair and more particularly, to an electric bed or chair capable of moving along with ambient sounds.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional electric beds or chairs are usually designed as being provided with a function of adjusting position or angle of a user's back and legs so as to fulfill with the user's need. With the advancement of the times, many consumers will watch movies, or listen to music, songs or operas on their beds or chairs. However, electric beds or chairs that can move along with ambient sounds are not commercially available at present. In particular, the electric beds or chairs that can move real time along with the sounds synchronously are technically more difficult to achieve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-noted circumstances. It is an objective of the present invention to provide an electric bed or chair, which is capable of moving along with ambient sounds synchronously to enable the user to feel real-time somatosensory variations.

To attain the above objective, the present invention provides an electric bed or chair movable along with ambient sounds, which comprises a frame structure, an actuator, a vibrator, a control unit, a receiving unit, a database, a sound sensor, and a comparative unit. The frame structure comprises a base and a movable frame movably disposed on the base. The actuator has two ends disposed with the base and the movable frame, respectively. The vibrator is disposed with the frame structure. The control unit is electrically connected with the actuator and the vibrator to control motions of the actuator and the vibrator. The receiving unit receives audio files each having a specific time sequence via a wire or wireless manner. The database is electrically connected with the control unit and the receiving unit to store the audio files received by the receiving unit. The sound sensor senses ambient sounds and transmits signals corresponding to the sensed ambient sounds. The comparative unit is electrically connected with the sound sensor, the control unit and the database and capable of comparing the signals transmitted by the sound sensor with the audio files stored in the database to locate a match audio file of the audio files, which is matched with the ambient sounds, and then transmit control signals to the control unit for enabling the control unit to control the actuator or the vibrator to move in accordance with audio signals of the match audio file. As a result, the electric bed or chair can move along with the ambient sounds synchronously, such that the user can feel real-time somatosensory variations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric bed movable along with ambient sounds according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the electric bed of the first embodiment of the present invention in a state of movement;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block system diagram of the electric bed of the first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematically exploded perspective view of an electric bed according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The structure and technical features of the present invention will be detailedly described hereunder by two embodiments and accompany drawings. It is to be noted that the present invention can be applied to an electric bed, an electric chair, or the like. FIGS. 1-2 show an electric bed 1, which is movable along with ambient sounds and provided in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The electric bed 1 is composed of a frame structure 10, two actuators 20, two vibrators 24, a control unit 30, a receiving unit 34, a database 38, a sound sensor 40, and a comparative unit 44.

The frame structure 10 is composed of a base 12 and a plurality of movable frames 14 movably mounted to the base 12. The base 12 is to be paced on a ground or a stable, solid surface. The movable frames 14 comprises a back supporting frame 15 pivotally connected with the base 12 for supporting a user's back, a thigh supporting frame 16 pivotally connected with the base 12 for supporting the user's thigh, and a lower leg supporting frame 17 pivotally connected with the thigh supporting frame 16 for supporting the user's lower legs. The movable frames 14 may be structurally modified. In another embodiment, a front side of the back supporting frame 15 may be additionally equipped with a head supporting frame (not shown) for supporting the user's head.

Each of the actuators 20 is provided with two ends pivotally connected with the base 12 and one of the movable frames 14. Specifically, a first actuator 20 a is pivotally connected between the base 12 and the back supporting frame 15 to drive the back supporting frame 15 to swing up and down, and a second actuator 20 b is pivotally connected between the base 12 and the thigh supporting frame 16 to drive the thigh supporting frame 16 and the lower leg supporting frame 17 that is connected with the thigh supporting frame 16 to swing up and down. In another embodiment, the installation positions and the numbers of the actuators 20 may be modified as long as they can drive the movable frames 14 to move or swing relative to the base 12.

The two vibrators 24 are mounted on the back supporting frame 15 and the lower leg supporting frame 17 of the frame structure 10 respectively for providing vibrations or massage effect to the user's back and lower legs. Further, the magnitude (amplitude) and frequency of the vibrations of the vibrators 24 are adjustable in accordance with actual need. In another embodiment, the vibrators 24 may be mounted on the base 12 or one or more of the movable frames 14, and the installation positions and numbers of the vibrators 24 are not limited to those as being described in this embodiment.

The control unit 30 is mounted to the base 12 and electrically connected with the actuators 20 and the vibrators 24 and is capable of controlling the motions of the actuators 20 and the vibrators 24. In another embodiment, the control unit 30 may be mounted on the frame structure 10 or other elements, or independently located outside the frame structure 10.

The receiving unit 34 is configured for receiving audio files, such as audio files of movies, operas, songs or pieces of music, via a wire or wireless manner. The received audio files each have audio signals arranged corresponding to a specific time sequence. The so-called “audio file having a specific time sequence”, or more specifically the “audio file having audio signals arranged corresponding to a specific time sequence”, means the audio file recorded with various sounds, e.g., sounds having different amplitudes and frequencies, along the progress of time. Taking the audio file of a movie for example, with the progress of time, various sounds, such as human voices, music, sound effects, etc., are recorded. These audio files are pre-downloaded by the receiving unit 34 and stored in the database 38. The database 38 is electrically connected with the control unit 30 and the receiving unit 34 for storing the audio files received by the receiving unit 34.

The sound sensor 40 is mounted on the frame structure 10 and configured for sensing ambient sounds, such as the sounds of movies, music, operas or songs played by other equipment located around the electric bed 1, and then transmit signals corresponding to the sensed ambient sounds. In another embodiment, the sound sensor 40 is independently located outside the frame structure 10.

The comparative unit 44 is electrically connected with the sound sensor 40, the control unit 30, and the database 38. The comparative unit 44 is configured as being capable of comparing the signals transmitted by the sound sensor 40 with the audio signals of the audio files stored in the database 38 to locate a match audio file from the audio files, which is matched with the ambient sounds, and then transmit control signals to the control unit 30. When the control unit 30 receives the control signals from the comparative unit 44, the control unit 30 controls motions of the actuators 20 or vibrators 24, e.g., controlling the actuators 20 to extend or retract or controlling the frequencies and amplitudes (magnitudes) of the vibrations of the vibrators 24, in accordance with the audio signals of the match audio file stored in the database 38, thereby enabling the user to feel body sense varied with the ambient sounds synchronously.

Since many audio files have been pre-stored in the database 38, once the pairing with the ambient sounds is successful, the control unit 30 can predict what kind of sounds of the ambient sounds following the subsequent time sequence will make according to the match audio file. In this way, the control unit 30 does not need to receive the ambient sounds to perform calculation and then send out the control signal, usually resulting in a time delay to further cause asynchronous problem. With the above-described technical features, the electric bed 1 provided by the present invention can move synchronously along with the ambient sounds, allowing the user to experience to real-time somatosensory variations to achieve the objective of the present invention.

In the operation of the electric bed 1, the sound sensor 40 can continuously sense the ambient sounds and transmit corresponding signals to the comparative units 44 to enable the comparative units 44 to continuously compare the signals of the sensed ambient sounds with the audio signals of the audio files stored in the database 38. As soon as the real-time sensed ambient sounds do not conform with the originally paired match audio file, the comparative unit 44 will search another audio file that can be matched with the real-time sensed ambient sounds and then send corresponding control signals to the control unit 30 for controlling the actuators 20 or vibrators 24.

FIG. 4 shows an electric bed 1′, which is movable along with the ambient sounds and provided in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The electric bed 1′ of the second embodiment is basically the same in structure as the electric bed 1 of the first embodiment, except that a rocker mount 50, a first drive device 56, a support mount 60, and a second drive device 66 are further provided below the base 12.

The rocker mount 50 is installed below the base 12. The base 12 is connected with two first arc rails 13, and the rocker mount 50 is provided with a plurality of first rollers 52 in contact with the two first arc rails 13 in a way that the base 12 is swingable like a swing along the two first arc rails 13 relative to the rocker mount 50. The first drive device 56 is disposed between the rocker mount 50 and the base 12. The first drive device 56 is electrically connected with the control unit 30 in a way that the control unit 30 can control the first drive device 56 to drive the base 12 to reciprocatingly swing relative to the rocker mount 50 along a first curve 58. The first curve 58 is parallel to the bottom edges of the two first arc rails 13.

The support mount 60 is installed below the rocker mount 50. The rocker 50 is provided with two second arc rails 54, and the support mount 60 is provided with a plurality of second rollers 62 in contact with the two second arc rails 54 in a way that the rocker mount 50 is swingable like a swing along the two second arc rails 54 relative to the support mount 60. The second drive device 66 is disposed between the support mount 60 and the rocker mount 50. The second drive device 66 is electrically connected with the control unit 30 in a way that the control unit 30 can control the second drive device 66 to drive the rocker mount 50 to reciprocatingly swing relative to the support mount 60 along a second curve 68. The second curve 68 is parallel to the bottom edges of the two second arc rails 54. On a horizontal plane 70, the projection line 58′ of the first curve 58 and the projection line 68′ of the second curve 68 are perpendicular to each other.

With the above-described technical features, the control unit 30 can control not only the actuators 20 and the vibrators 24 but also the first and second drive devices 56 and 66, thereby allowing the user to feel changes synchronous with the ambient sounds and feel more somatosensory variations. In another embodiment, the support mount 60 and the second drive device 66 may be omitted, or the projection lines 58′ and 68′ of the first and second curves 58 and 68 on the horizontal plane 70 may be not perpendicular to each other. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electric bed or chair movable along with ambient sounds, the electric bed or chair comprising: a frame structure comprising a base and a movable frame movably disposed on the base; an actuator having two ends disposed with the base and the movable frame, respectively; a vibrator disposed with the frame structure; a control unit electrically connected with the actuator and the vibrator to control motions of the actuator and the vibrator; a receiving unit receiving audio files each having a specific time sequence via a wire or wireless manner; a database electrically connected with the control unit and the receiving unit for storing the audio files received by the receiving unit; a sound sensor sensing ambient sounds and transmitting signals corresponding to the sensed ambient sounds; and a comparative unit electrically connected with the sound sensor, the control unit and the database, the comparative unit comparing the signals transmitted by the sound sensor with the audio files stored in the database to locate a match audio file of the audio files, which is matched with the ambient sounds, and then transmit control signals to the control unit for enabling the control unit to control the actuator or the vibrator to move in accordance with audio signals of the match audio file.
 2. The electric bed or chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibrator is disposed on the movable frame.
 3. The electric bed or chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio files received by the receiving unit are audio files of movies, operas, songs or pieces of music.
 4. The electric bed or chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the actuator to extend or retract and controls vibrating frequency and amplitude of the vibrator.
 5. The electric bed or chair as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rocker mount disposed below the base, and a first drive device disposed between the rocker mount and the base; the first drive device is electrically connected with the control unit in a way that the control unit controls the first drive device to drive the base to swing relative to the rocker mount along a first curve.
 6. The electric bed or chair as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a support mount disposed below the rocker mount, and a second drive device disposed between the rocker mount and the support mount; the second drive device is electrically connected with the control unit in a way that the control unit controls the second drive device to drive the rocker mount to swing relative to the support mount along a second curve.
 7. The electric bed or chair as claimed in claim 6, wherein projection lines of the first curve and the second curve on a horizontal plane are perpendicular to each other. 